Lindsay Beyerstein @Beyerstein
I’m an investigative reporter doing research on the opioid crackdown and its impact on chronic pain patients. I’m working on a proposal for a documentary on the subject.
Filed under: General Problems
investigative reporter doing research on the opioid crackdown
Posted on January 12, 2018 by Pharmaciststeve
Im sort of happy to see I’m not the only one struggling with the unfairness of all this. I’ve had 7 surgeries. I have failed back syndrome, Im fused from T11-S1 and I’ve had my si joints fused but it failed as well. I’ve been on oxycodone 10mg for 17yrs but my pain mgmt ortho drs ofc was pressured and I was sent to a new Dr. I drive an hour each way and went thru alot of hassles to continue taking what I need to function. They need to stop lumping us in with theheroin and illegal phentanyl users. Things are out of control. Someone help!
I am disgusted by the way I have been treated! I went to a planned appointment and was told I am changing your muscle relaxer to Baclofen, I said I have been on Soma for 15 years, she said I know you will be fine and walked away. At that moment, I did not know why or what will happen to me. I took the baclofen and had a allergic reaction to it. I have many issues due a sanitation truck running a light and crushed me up in my vehicle. 6 herniated disk in my neck and the same in my lower back. I also have Fibromyalgia, sciatic, arthritis, heart problem and high blood pressure…etc. Yet that is not enough for me to take opiate medication. For one, I was on Tylenol/Codiene, Soma and a sleeping medication. Now that they have taken away my Soma it was replaced with 7 other medications. Does that seem right to anyone. One pill can solve someones problem. They said take it away and give her 7 others which I may say has terrible side effects. Mouth dry, tongue feels like its burned, confusion, memory, headaches. Today I couldn’t remember my SS#, I am so pissed. The doctors takes a oath to help and heal a person but, that is not what they are doing now. They are making us take something in your system that you don’t want. This is our bodies and we should have a say to what we take. Don’t just say take it or nothing. Then you go home with something that doesn’t work for 30 days over and over and over. Someone please help us!
But we ARE being targeted!!! They can get to us, not the junkies. Heroin will never stop getting to the streets. The DEA has doctors so freaked that some are cutting pts. off cold turkey! However I do question why? Have they been giving out drugs to peole who don’t really need them and they are trying to cover their butts/license before their office is flagged? Point is we have been the targets simply because we have cp and need pain meds to work and live and raise our kids. I raised 3 boys and they never knew I had cp because my meds were theraputic and covered my pain. They allowed us to have a great growing up time…I could not do it now with the meds I am on. I feel that if a doctor cuts off, fires a pt with no warning and the pt has followed all the rules the doctor has the issues. He’s scared.
I will make this short… I’m on the ground level in with so many pain issues to list… but the crack is doing nothing to help anyone at all… it’s created the black market epidemic with stuff no can measure correctly thus suicide by any means is a common logical choice… the laws and guidelines splits hairs on issue causing police to even have to lie to themselves to put their humanity aside saying “it the law, I have no choice but to make your life hell” someone in chronic pain will look the same as a crazy, so they strap you done like all the rest saying “I did good today” made a man want death but strapped him down to sit and suffer… police clocks out goes home to sleep… meanwhile the drug dealers make bank they might stop some with even police casualties but it help as much as a gecko losing a tale, another will grow back… the laws and guidelines make the problem worse.. not to mention all the money it cost to enforce it all… police, wall, jails full, and more people on disability earlier than needed…
People should feel like they could live past 30 days in any disaster circumstance, but no security there either… instead we are shoved into being free lab rats for slicing and putting explosive batteries to taking brain F***ing drugs like LYRICA & CYBALTA, that are just as habit forming more expensive and a hundred other side affects that are so unbelievably strange, look it up
Joseph Flock
All we are hearing about is what is going to be done to prevent Opiods from getting into the wrong hands. People who have NOT been prescribed it. People who have NO medical reason for it.
What we want to hear about is how are you going to protect those of us with severe chronic conditions who legitimately need the medication to get through the day. We didn’t ask for these diseases. We’re law abiding tax paying voting constituents. I have been diagnosed with Spinal Stenosis, Degenerative Disc Disease, Several Herniated Discs, Achilles Tendonitis, Psoriatic Arthritis, Osteoarthritis. It has been many years since my diagnosis.
If you were to go On Facebook you would find several groups for some of the diseases listed above. There are people myself included that are in such severe pain that they cannot even imagine not taking something to at least relieve some of the pain. Just to get out of bed in the morning. You may see a slight decrease in overdoses. You will definitely see an INCREASE in SUICIDES of those law abiding tax paying voting constituents! People with Chronic Pain will not be able to go on without pain relief. Pain that is untouched by the normal dosage of ibuprofens. Taking the maximum dosages will damage or even ruin Livers and Kidneys.
Gov Scott’s bill to limit the Drs ability to prescribe more then 7 days max is ridiculous. Drs need to be able to decide if a patient needs 3 days, 7 days or in Chronic cases 30 days. Someone like myself doesn’t share or sell or give away our pain meds. We need them too much to just live. He says nothing about protecting US! The ones with Chronic Pain. If there is something in the Bill to do this. We know nothing of it. Please let us know what will protect us in that bill? If nothing, what will YOU do to protect us?
Time is of the essence. We are counting on YOU! Don’t disappoint us!
DOJ/DEA/Law Enforcement only has the legal authority to deal with the illegal use of controlled substances.. they have no authority – nor concern – about those who have a legal/medical need for controlled substances and those who are “harmed” as they seek to deal with those dealing with illegal use of controlled substances are just unfortunate collateral damage.. Even though they have been fighting the war on drugs for 48 yrs… the ones who are drawing a paycheck from fighting this war.. still consider it a success and they are capable of winning it. All wars have “innocents” that are harmed/killed/die
I am in the right place!! I have got a story to add as well….Started when the doc who had been keeping me out of pain the best he could just up and stopped coming in!! Something to do with his partner. I was left in the gutter with o doc and it got worse from tere….KathleenEdsMom@gmail.com
The steps and hardships we are now forced to endure as a result of the opioid crackdown are unfair.
Weve been forced to change drs and insurance is cracking down on amounts of medications prescribed. Forced into drug testing and made to feel guilty for taking prescribed medications. Its ludicrous!
My Pain Management Doctor told me after March he cannot give me my pain medication anymore. I will be in bed 24/7 without it!
There HAS to be a reason for that. Why would a doc do that out of the blue? Maybe he’s had problems with the DEA? Just does not sound right.
They are ALLLL doing that,,,,not just 1 doctor,,,,which is why us cpp’s are in a up roar,,,its happening everywhere,,,all doctors are refusing to give us the effective access to effective amounts of medicine to lessen our physical pain from medical illness as we once had,,, The reason u ask,,,our government,the insurance companies,and big big money truly think they have the right to torture us to death,literally,,,get rid of the weakest,sickest population,,that cost us monies,,,sickening but true,,,it is call Genocide American style,,,for money!!Its called corruption,,,
I’m already bedridden about 90% of the time, as it is. I’m in some support groups where many people have already said they would rather die than go on without their meds.
There are so many sides to this where would a person even start? patients are suffering , but the suffering is the result of many factors, the CDC/ fda regulations making patients feel like criminals who are only trying to have a quality of life after a life altering accident/surgery/ illness. The fact that patients have to go to “pain specialists” who are taking advantage of the new guidelines and using them to line their pockets, refusing to treat a patient if they do not agree to expensive, and dangerous procedures and threatening to kick them out of their practice if they “refuse treatment plan” . So patients AGREE in FEAR and desperation to these procedures, only to have them cause more damage and pain, leaving patients in more pain because the doctors refuse to take any fault and want to move on to the next “procedure” the patient denies because previous attempts caused more issues and no relief, the pain specialist “dismisses” a patient with false claims so finding another “pain management” is impossible due to denying having said procedures. Go after the dealers and lock them up! problem solved! people in pain are not willing to sell or give away their only relief, dealers are not getting their drugs from patients. There is no happy medium for patients any more, it is focused on addicts….doctors, and pain patients, and not the dealers who are making a living off of killing people…..Doctors are refusing patients, a lot of them out of fear, because the DEA stays on their ass if they prescribe a hydrocodone. Allow PCP to care for THEIR patients , pain patients deserve to choose who manages their care, along with their surgeons/doctors. NOT the FDA , CDC should stop “scaring” doctors into pushing patients into dangerous situations! known as PAIN CLINICS!
You said it!
The politics and money behind the driving forces of drug policy are incredible. Just ask yourself why drugs that are incredibly effective are being withheld from valid chronic pain patients? To the point where you have incredibly high suicide rates? How does this make any sense?
Finally, someone willing to articulate this attack on those unfortunate to have excruciating pain.
Several deaths in my patients from lack of access
HI I’M HAVING PROBLEMS GETTING MY SCRIPT REFILLED FOR MY PAIN MEDS. HERE IN FLA. DR. WON’T CALL IT IN TO THE PHARMACY.
That’s because legally you can’t call in narcotics to the pharmacy anymore, you have to go in with a paper prescription. If your doctor isn’t prescribing it, that’s another issue altogether.
I live in Indiana and my PM just sent electronic RX for my pain meds to Walgreen’s. My primary doc said that her office isn’t set up for that, so am wondering if this is a new system now. I love it.
I tweeted her an invitation to chat.
Hi, Red! Thanks for reaching out. I can’t seem to find your tweet in my mentions. What’s your twitter handle? I’d love to chat.
Several horrific ER stories here…
Steve, do you have an e-mail address for her? Thanks!
couldn’t find one doing a web search
Steve, thanks so much for spreading the word. My email address is lbeyerstein(at)gmail.com.
I am interested in telling my story. My email is dtessi1@gmail.com. Willing to do whatever I am capable of to bring this genocide to light.
I have survived 18 yrs of this, only because my meds allow me to live a semblance of life
I, too, will help all that I can. Tell my experiences, etc.
randlk@cox.net My name is Randall. I have been on oxycodone for over 10 years. My spine is fused, I have a spinal stimulator implanted. Doing all that I can not to be on Meds! I am 57 and so tired of being treated like a criminal!